The American Revolution: 1775-1783

1. The American Revolution: 1775-1783 HOTA: J P McCaskey HS

2. The British Advantages • The British had experienced officers and had the most well trained army and strongest navy {in the world at the time}. • The British also possessed the funds needed to fund their war effort. • They were well supplied with artillery, rations, gunpowder and firearms.

3. The Disadvantages of the British • The troops and supplies had to be shipped across the Atlantic, so the travel was far • British were unfamiliar with the environment, especially the south • They captured large colonies: once area was controlled by the British, they had to stay and occupy it • They had no domestic support from the UK and inconsistent Loyalist support in US • British soldiers fought for money, not from the heart

4. The Americans • American Advantages • Field advantage. The Americans knew the terrain and land.( sneak attacks, guerilla warfare) • Location ( The North Atlantic separates the colonies and Britain) ex. ships would have to transport Britain's soldiers even for a Britain sneak attack the Americans would have time to set up their forces. • Control over the eastern coast.( didn’t allow the British ships to dock) • Good American leadership in George Washington (inspiring the radicals that they have freedom to fight for) • Use of materials( though lacking supplies they used smartly used material)

5. American disadvantages at the beginning if the war • No Central area of strategic importance • In Europe, the capture of a capital often meant the end of the war, but when the British took control, the war continued • Small armies and had many disobedient and untrained soldiers : Didn’t have the fighting experience the British had • Often ran short on food and ammunition, and at one point; had to ask around to acquire food • - Once an area had been occupied, than troops had to stay there or they would regain control, and therefore these troops weren’t available for other operations

6. The Loyalists opposed the American Revolution and stayed loyal to the British Crown. They were called “Tories” or “kings men” 20% of the white population of the colonies were Loyalists They were often connected to The Church of England Believed violence would give rise mob-rule of tyranny They believed that independence would result to the loss of economic benefits from membership in the British mercantile system The Loyalists are mostly made of small farmers, artisans and shopkeepers. One half of New York’s population were Loyalists The back country farmers in the Carolinas were Loyalists. The Loyalists Sources: http://countrystudies.us/united-states/history-33.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Revolution#Loyalists_and_neutrals

7. Loyalist Strongholds Identify the loyalist strongholds. Identify the most contested areas.

8. General George Washington • He focused on training the 14,000-man army while securing powder and other supplies. • Early in March 1776, Washington occupied Dorchester Heights, successfully commanded the city and forced the British on March 17 to defend NYC against the land and sea forces of Sir William Howe. • He was short of men and supplies, civilian morale was falling. • He crossed the Delaware River on Christmas night 1776 and captured Trenton, N.J. • Conway Cabal- effort to replace Washington with Horatio Gate as commander in chief, failed due to the lack of public support. • With the aid of the French, he prepared his army. June 1778 he attacked the British near Monmouth Courthouse, N.J. • French allies helped him launch the Yorktown Campaign against Charles Cornwallis, securing (Oct. 19, 1781) the American victory. • He was often accused of being overly cautious, although he was bold when necessary.

9. Washington’s Headaches • Only 1/3 of the colonists were in favor of a war for independence [the other third were Loyalists, and the final third were neutral]. • State/colony loyalties. • Congress couldn’t tax to raise money for the Continental Army. • Poor training [until the arrival of Baron von Steuben.

10. Battle of Lexington and Concord Lieutenant Colonel Francis Smith and Marine Major John Pitcairn were the commanders of the British force. April the British column, consisting of 650-900 troops left Boston, crossed the Charles River, followed closely by the alarm rider Paul Revere. Paul Revere was a messenger who was to light a lamp if the British were coming by land or two by sea. At dawn Smith's advanced parties under the command of Major Pitcairn, arrived at Lexington Green to see a group of armed Militia in formation. During the stalemate, an unknown person fired a shot and the Revolution began. British suffered casualties at a battle for Concord North Bridge, where the British decided to retreat. Militia and Minutemen from all surrounding towns had marched toward Concord, they used guerilla warfare tactics to fight the British. When the British returned to Boston, the suffered over 20% casualties.

11. Military Strategies The Americans The British • Attrition [the Brits had a long supply line]. • Guerrilla tactics [fight an insurgent war  you don’t have to win a battle, just wear the British down] • Make an alliance with one of Britain’s enemies. • Break the colonies in half by getting between the No. & the So. • Blockade the ports to prevent the flow of goods and supplies from an ally. • “Divide and Conquer”  use the Loyalists.

12. Phase I:The Northern Campaign[1775-1776].

13. The Battle at Fort Ticonderoga, 5/10/1775 1) The Capture of Fort Ticonderoga took place on May 10, 1775 when a small force of American soldiers led by Ethan Allen and Colonel Benedict Arnold, conquered a small British garrison at the Fort and looted the personal belongings of the garrison. 3) As dawn approached on that May in 1775, Allen and Arnold became fearful of losing the element of surprise, hence they decided to attack with the men at hand. The only sentry on duty at the south gate fled his post after his musket misfired, and the Americans rushed into the fort and conquered it. 2) The fort was garrisoned by a small detachment of the 26th Regiment of foot. It consisted of two officers and forty-six men. Many of them "invalids" or soldiers with limited duties because of disability or illness. The fort was situated on the shores of Lake Champlain, a strategically important route between the rebellious Thirteen Colonies and the British-controlled northern provinces. It was the perfect spot to get the British.

14. Bunker Hill, June 17 1775 • This battle took place in Charlestown, Massachusetts. The colonists wanted to protect the hills around Dorchester High and Charlestown from being taken over and controlled by the British. Who ever controlled the heights had an advantage. • The British • 3,000+ soldiers • Under the command of Gen. William Howe • 226 were killed (19 officers) • 828 were injured (62 officers) • They won this battle because the colonists retreated and they captured Bunker Hill. • The colonists • 2000 soldiers • Under the command of Gen. Israel Putnam and Colonel William Prescott • 140 were killed • 305 were injured • 30 captured • While the battle was won by the British because they took over Bunker Hill, they had many more deaths and injuries than the colonists. • After this battle a few days later the colonists took over the hill lead by George Washington. • This battle gave confidence to the Americans about the war. They realized that the British were not invincible and both sides knew that the war was going to be a close one.

15. Quebec, 12/30/1775-12/31/1775 • This battle was an attempt by American colonial forces to capture the city of Quebec, drive the British military and enlist French Canadian support for the American. • The Leaders were: • American Leaders-Benedict Arnold and General Montgomery. • British Leader-Maj. Gen. Sir Guy Carleton. • Casualties: • American-60 killed and 426 captured. • British-5 killed and 13 wounded. • This battle ended America’s actions in Canada for the remainder of war because it was the first huge defeat suffered by Continental Army and they were driven out of Canada in order to retreat elsewhere.

16. Long Island, August 27th 1776 Overview: The battle of long Island was fought in Long Island, New York. It was a battle which would determine who would gain the ultimate control over New York. Strategically, New York was an important territory to conquer because it was the focal point of communications between the northern and southern colonies. The battle lasted until August 29th 1776, ending in a British victory and the retreat of the Americans. • British • Commander- William Howe • Casualties- 400 • Force- 5,000+ men, 40 cannons. • Victory!! • Colonist • Commanders- George Washington, Charles Lee • Casualties- 970 • Captives-1,079 • Force-9,000+ Significance: First large-scale battle of the war with a total force of about 19,000 troops!

17. New York City in Flames(1776)

18. Washington and his army occupied Harlem Heights, watching the movements of Howe. On October 12, Howe landed on Throgg’s Neck, a low peninsula. He was leading the British towards Harlem. Washington sent Heathe to oppose Howe’s landing and to occupy lower Westchester. The British joined the Germans to attack the Americans. Then the Americans Counter attacked and caused the retreat of British. Resulting in the successful win for the Americans. Battle of White Plains, October 28, 1776

19. Phase I:The Northern Campaign[1775-1776] Summarize the Northern Campaign.

20. Phase II: NY & PA[1777-1778]

21. Fort Washington, 11/16/1776 • Took place in Manhattan (Washington Heights), New York • American Casualties- 154 • British casualties- 428 • American Leader- Col Magaw/Greene • British Leader- General William Howe Ft. Washington Battle was over land which the Americas had control of already and the British were invading. British sent attacks while Americas built coverage stronger. Over a period of time the British took control with Howe's (British) victory over Magaw/Greene (Americas). The battle ended within days after it started. http://www.theamericanrevolution.org/battles/bat_fwas.asp http://www.britishbattles.com/fort-washington.htm

22. Battle of Trenton, 1776 • -December 25, 1776 • -24,000 American and 1,400 Hessian and British Soldiers • -The Hessians were a German contingent • -The Americans were victorious in the battle of Trenton • British were led by colonel Johann Rall • This battle lifted the self-esteem of the American soldiers after being driven out of New York • There were 5 American casualties and 107 British casualties • The Americans were led by General Washington

23. Princeton, January 3rd, 1777 • General George Washington had been the leader in the battle of Princeton for the Americans. • He instructed his militia, along with the American leaders: Sullivan, Hand, and Mercer to invade and attack against the British when traveling to Princeton to possibly capture 70,000 pound sterling war treasury. • The British leader, who was Colonel Mawhood, directed his men to attack against Mercer’s men, around 200 from each side. This had been a mini-battle within the battle of Princeton. • Gen. Washington arrives, in time, and orders the rest of the militia to attack the British. • The British army then retreats and • scatters across the land. Some go • into Princeton. • Americans attack and the British • soon surrender. • http://www.theamericanrevolution.org/battles/bat_prtn.asp

24. Washington Crossing the Delaware Painted by Emanuel Leutze, 1851

25. Phase II: NY & PA[1777-1778] Summarize this phase of the war

26. Germantown, October 4, 1777 -British occupied Germantown, Philadelphia -11,000 American/9,000 British -General George Washington lead a surprise attack -Failed dense fog confused American troops/ attacked there own column -Heavy losses (Colonies)/withdraw to Valley Forge -Important because it was the 2nd major victory of the British Cited-http://www.britishbattles.com/images/germantown/general-washington-chew.jpg

27. Battle of Oriskany- 8/6/77 • Significant engagement of the Saratoga campaign • Great Britain's attempt to conquer Hudson River Valley (1777) • Occurred in the Mohawk Valley, near Fort Stanwix, NY • All participants North American: • Loyalists & Native Americans (Britain) vs. Patriots (American) • American leader: Nicholas Herkimer (died in action) • American casualties: 357 • British leader: Barry St. Leger • British casualties: 274 • Patriots retreated to Fort Dayton and the Loyalists and Natives claimed victory, though, the Americans were left in control of battlefield with the withdraw of the Indians on British side • Indians withdrew from British side because they had been told they would not be doing most of the fighting, and this was a lie • For Natives, this marked the beginning of the civil war (Oneidas fought the other Iroquois)

28. The Battle of Bennington, August 16, 1777 • Took place in Walloomsac, New York, a few miles from Bennington, Vermont. • General John Stark was in charge with 1,500 troops. • British were limited in supplies so they decided to attack the storehouse in Bennington. • General John Burgoyne ordered Lieutenant Colonel Friedrich Baum to lead troops into Vermont and New Hampshire to seek provisions. • The result of the Americans won the battle which contributed to Burgoyne’s surrender in Saratoga. • General John Burgoyne’s army was reduced by almost 1,000 men. • His support from the Indians was gone. • Still had a short supply of equipment. • Boosted Americans’ morale. • Convinced France to assist the Americans.

29. This battle is considered the turning point of the war, because the colonists gained a lot of momentum and soon there after France declared war on Brittan because of their victory The commanders were John Burgoyne-British Horatio Gates-Colonist It was a big battle, about 6,000 British troops and 12,000 to 15,000 colonists This stopped Burgoyne from advancing on Albany Saratoga, 10/7-17/1777

30. Saratoga: Why is this battle considered the “turning point” of the war?

31. Monmouth 6/28/1778 British stats English stats Generals Clinton George Washington Troops 11,000 6,000 Casualties 487 452 An obscure battle -nether side “won” - Americans defend themselves against the British regulars (British foot soldiers) -Washington took over role as General to take action and fight against the British although they out numbered them

32. Phase III:The Southern Strategy [1780-1781]

33. Britain’s “Southern Strategy” • Britain thought that there were more Loyalists in the South. • Southern resources were more valuable/worth preserving. • The British win a number of small victories, but cannot pacify the countryside [similar to U. S. failures in Vietnam!] • Good US General:Nathanial Greene

34. Battle of Savannah 1779(Myrevolutionarywar.com) • Gen. Benjamin Lincoln and Admiral ValerieD'estaing (French) were the American leaders in the battle.(myrevolutionarywar.com) • Major General Augustin Prevost was the leader of the British. (hmdb.org) • This was one of the bloodiest battles • 800 Americans and French wounded or dead (hmdb.org) • 55 British wounded or dead man. (hmdb.org) • It was the first battle were the French and Americans united forces to fight against the British. • British victory over the French and Americans relinquished Britain spirit for the war, and encourage them to keep fighting the Americans. • (If liked more info on the Note Page)

35. The Battle of Charleston • The Battle of Charleston lasted from April 1- May 12 in 1780 in Charleston South Carolina • The Commander for the American side was Major General Benjamin Lincoln and the commander for the British side was Lutenant General Henry Clinton. Lincoln was not a very good He was actually forced to charleston and eventually surrenderd to General Henry Clinton he had weak fighting tactics. Henry Clinton on the other hand was put charleston under siege and established a strong force to do so. • The foreign forces didn’t play a deciding role on the outcome of the battle the General of the Americas ultimatley surrenederd he made the decision of the battle. • The Battle of charleston Lost supporters on the american side due to the surrender more or so of the general Benjamin Lincoln than the war itself and the british it didn’t really gain or lose support. • In this case this did not play a good role in the American Victory because they did surrender and lose the battle because of It, it actually helped the british more than it helped the American colonies. • The battle of Charleston played an important role in context to the other battles was that the closer to the end of the war the farther south the battles went. It seemed like the battles from there on out were located close to the carolinas.

36. Camden - August 16, 1780 Generals: Major General Horatio Gates fighting Major General Lord Cornwallis Camden, South Carolina 1780 The Germans and the British fought against the Americans at the Battle of Camden. *On 14th August Charles Earl Cornwallis joined his British troops in Camden with the determination to attack Gen. Gates- the hero of Saratoga. He made a night advance which collided with the Americans who were also advancing to make an assault. The Americans LOST!!!! Camden was a very regrettable battle The Americans also lost at Charleston, South Carolina the prior May. Horatio Gates’ force: 3,052 soldiers Casualties: 400 soldiers Wounded: 650 soldiers Alive to dead ratio: 15/2 Alive to wounded 47/10 * http://www.britishbattles.com/battle-camden.htm

37. Battle of King’s Mountain, 7th of October, 1780: The Turning Point • British loyalists vs. Americans: defeat of Lieutenant Colonel Ferguson’s Loyalists and Tories by men under Campbell, Shelby,Sevier,and others— mountain men (total 2000 men) • Locals (amateurs; Whigs) fought battle to protect their mountain homes; fought threat of "fire and sword,“ and the hanging of their leaders; incentive • Battle lasts 1 hour 5 min., scores of Ferguson's troops dead • Local untrained militia wins against “superior” British trained • Brits. win until this battle; forced Cornwallis to get on the defensive (Southern Brit.general)

38. The battle was very short and involved very few people There was a force of 1,025 people, with 315 British casualties and 72 American casualties The leaders in the battle were Brig. Gen. Daniel Morgan (American), and Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton (British) Took place in Cowpens, South Carolina and was part the British southern campaigns (1780-1781) Followed the Battle of King’s Mountain, another one of the battles fought in the southern states Most of the southern campaigns were won by the British however the Battle of Cowpens was the second American victory in the Southern States This victory started the direct military line for the Americans which eventually resulted in independence in Yorktown Battle hurt Cornwallis’ Army (British) greatly by taking away much of their light troops, this army fell shortly after Cowpens Cowpens: January 17, 1781

39. British General Lord Cornwallis arrived in Virginia from NC - set up fortifications in Yorktown, hoping to gain southern support American General George Washington and French General de Rochambeau lead allied troops from New York to Yorktown French warships under de Grasse from the West Indies arrived to fight the British ships, blockading the Chesapeake Bay – Cornwallis therefore had no escape by sea 17,000 American/French troops on land and their ships surround the 8,300 British troops on land Americans bombard the British fortifications – on the 9th day (Oct. 17) Cornwallis asks for a ceasefire On October 19, 1781, Cornwallis surrendered to the Americans, though he did not attend the surrendering ceremony, instead sending Brig. General Charles O’Hara Last major Revolutionary Battle – 2 year wait until the signing of the peace treaty in 1783 Battle of Yorktown – October 19, 1781

40. The Battle of Yorktown (1781) Count de Rochambeau AdmiralDe Grasse

41. Cornwallis’ Surrender at Yorktown: “The World Turned Upside Down!” Painted by John Trumbull, 1797

42. Phase III:The Southern Strategy [1780-1781] Summarize this phase of the war

43. Why did the British lose?

44. North America After theTreaty of Paris, 1783

45. Describe the impact of the Revolutionary War on the continent.